California DMV tells Tesla to ease off on those Autopilot claims

Full Self-Driving Capability marketing deemed a 'violation of state law'

The California DMV says Tesla's use of the term Autopilot is misleading and violated state law, but has hit the brakes on a proposed 30-day suspension of the car maker's manufacturing and dealer licenses.

The Department of Motor Vehicles said on Tuesday that it had found Tesla "in violation of state law for misleadingly using the terms 'Autopilot' and 'Full Self-Driving Capability' in the marketing of their electric vehicles."

DMV Director Steve Gordon said: "Tesla can take simple steps to pause this decision and permanently resolve this issue – steps autonomous vehicle companies and other automakers have been able to achieve in California's nation-leading and supportive innovation marketplace."

This followed an administrative law judge's proposed decision following a hearing back in July. The judge had proposed suspensions of both Tesla's manufacturing license and its dealer license for 30 days.

The DMV confirmed it had adopted the judge's decision, but had "modified" the proposed penalties. This means that Tesla was given 60 days to rework its messaging around its vehicles' capabilities.

If Tesla doesn't get its act together, the dealer suspension will kick in. The manufacturing suspension has been permanently stayed.

The case has rumbled on like a cranky Cybertruck since November 2023. As the DMV puts it: "In May 2021, Tesla advertised advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features in written marketing materials primarily on Tesla's website using the product label and descriptions 'Autopilot' and 'Full Self-Driving Capability.'"

However, the DMV said "vehicles equipped with those ADAS features could not at the time of those advertisements, and cannot now" operate autonomously. It added that Tesla subsequently stopped flagging the "Full Self-Driving Capability," referring instead to "Full Self-Driving (supervised)."

A quick look at Tesla's website suggests Autopilot doesn't appear in descriptions of its vehicles' features. The website currently refers to Full Self-Driving (supervised), with (supervised) often appearing in a much smaller font.

Tesla's website promises the technology "intelligently and accurately completes driving maneuvers for you, including route navigation, steering, lane changes, parking and more under your active supervision." It adds: "Currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous."

But if the videos on the site are anything to go by, driver supervision doesn't actually mean having hands on the wheel. Or, in the case of "smart summon," actually being in the car.

Where drivers do need to be is the US, Canada, China, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, and New Zealand, though it promises FSD in other regions via future updates.

We contacted Tesla for comment. It appears the press office is on Autopilot. ®